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Endoscopic Spine Surgery

Dr. Jeffords is a board-certified and fellowship-trained orthopaedic spine surgeon who is a specialist in minimally-invasive and endoscopic spine surgery. Endoscopic spine surgery is a minimally-invasive spine procedure used to treat back pain and sciatica caused by disc herniations, spinal arthritis and stenosis.

An endoscope is a very thin fiber-optic video camera, which can be used to see internal portions of the body. Endoscopes used for spine surgery are typically the diameter of a standard pencil (5-7mm). The endoscope is inserted into the body through a small “keyhole” incision, just large enough for the endoscope to fit through. Surgery is performed by passing instruments through the endoscope to remove disc material or bone spurs.

The benefits of endoscopic spine surgery as compared to traditional “open” surgery include:

Small incisions and minimal scar tissue formation

Less damage to surrounding muscle and soft tissues

Decreased blood loss

Decreased pain and reduced need for pain medication

Quicker recovery and faster return to regular activities

Procedures can be performed as outpatient surgery

Decreased risk of postoperative infection

If you are exploring the option of endoscopic spine surgery, make sure your procedure is performed by an actual spine surgeon. There are physicians who market themselves as endoscopic spine surgeons who have not completed a residency in orthopaedic surgery or neurosurgery and are not certified by either the American Board of Orthopaedic Surgery or the American Board of Neurological Surgery. These physicians may be board certified in anesthesiology or pain management, and may be appropriately trained to perform spinal injections, but unless they have completed a five-year residency in orthopaedic surgery or neurosurgery, they are not qualified to perform spine surgery.

In one state, an anesthesiologist had his medical license suspended for performing spinal surgery without proper training. See this article.

Dr. Jeffords is an orthopaedic spine surgeon, who has completed a five-year residency in orthopaedic and spine surgery and an additional year of fellowship training in complex and minimally-invasive spine surgery. He is board-certified by the American Board of Orthopaedic Surgery.